The subject of the present invention is a racquet for the game of squash.
Squash is played in a court having three or four walls, with a rubber ball which is hit by alternate players toward the front wall. To play squash, the players use a racquet which comprises a head portion threaded with longitudinal and cross strings and a handle in the form of an elongated shaft extending from the head portion. The end of the handle is customarily provided with a grip made of a leather or synthetic wrap.
Because it is played in a relatively confined space, squash requires quick movement and reflexes. Ideally, a racquet needs to be built for a fast response and maximum reach. To achieve these ends, squash racquets are designed with a lightweight construction, a relatively small head (to reduce the movement of inertia), and a relatively long shaft. The inherent problem, however, of making a lightweight racquet with a long handle is breakage.
In the past, squash racquets were constructed of bent ash, in which the head section was formed into a closed circle and then a handle was secured thereto. Recently, squash racquets have been introduced in which the frames are made of carbon fiber-impregnated resins such as graphite or composites. In the case of graphite constructions, the racquet is made by bending a tubular layup of the fiber-impregnated resin material into a generally circular head portion with a pair of opposed converging legs projecting from the narrow region on the lower end thereof which merge to form an elongated shaft. A throat piece extends laterally between the opposed legs in the narrow neck region to close the bottom of the head portion.
When a racquet is strung, the strings exert an inward, compressive force on the head portion. The throat piece not only acts to anchor the lower end of the central longitudinal strings, but provides a brace for the opposed sides of the frame to counter-act the inward pull of the cross strings. However, the throat piece adds to the cost and labor of making the racquet, in that it requires separate fabrication and additional wrapping before being placed in the mold. It also adds weight to the frame, outward from the handle, increasing the moment of inertia (i.e. slowing the response time of the head). However, because of the breakage problem with graphite squash racquets, and in view of the structural support provided by the throat piece, it has heretofore been deemed necessary to make a commercially acceptable squash racquet.
The present invention is a throatless squash racquet having a frame preferably of fiber-impregnated resin material, e.g. graphite, in which, not only is weight reduced without a loss of strength or durability, but surprisingly the impact strength of the racquet is significantly improved compared to prior known graphite racquets.
More particularly, a squash racquet according to the invention includes a tubular profile frame, e.g. of a graphite layup. The tubular member is bent into a head, which the outer portion is generally circular and opposing legs of the tubular frame curve toward one another. The opposed legs continue to converge first linearly, and then in an inverse curve to define a neck portion, and thereafter merge to form an elongated shaft, the head and neck portion thus defining a teardrop shape, throatless stringing area. A grip is provided on the shaft.
The head and neck include holes for stringing. Because the center longitudinal strings are anchored in the neck, and are thus longer in length than in conventional squash racquets, it is preferable to compensate with a variable density string pattern.
Preferably, the height of the frame (the dimension perpendicular to the stringing plane) tapers in the transition region between the neck and shaft, so that the height of the shaft is less than the height of the head. Also, if desired the shaft may be formed with exterior slots to facilitate the attachment of the grip.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with he drawings forming a part of the application.